URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity

URGE’s issue advocacy supports self-managed abortion, removal of abortion restrictions, promotion of comprehensive sex education, expansion of voting access, government-run health care through Medicare for All, elimination of student debt, dismantling the police, and open access to public services for all immigrants. ³

Background

URGE was founded in 1992 as “ChoiceUSA” by feminist political activists Gloria Steinem, Kristina Kiehl, and Julie Burton. ⁴

In 2000, ChoiceUSA modified its focus to young people of color and LGBT youth. In 2014, ChoiceUSA changed its name to URGE: United for Reproductive & Gender Equity to reflect its broader focus on both pro-abortion and gender-choice activism. ⁴

In 2017, URGE co-sponsored the Women’s March, ⁴ which took place the day after the inauguration of President Donald Trump, protesting Trump’s policy positions which URGE considered “strongly prejudiced against women.” ⁵

In 2018, Kimberly Inez McGuire joined URGE as executive director and in 2019 URGE rolled out a new strategic plan. ⁴ The plan reinforced the notion that URGE was a young people’s movement, specifically “young people of color who are women, queer, trans, nonbinary, and people of low income” supporting free love and self-expression of gender and sexuality and challenging “white supremacy and anti-Blackness.” ⁶

As of February 2024, URGE had 26 chapters, all located in colleges and universities, in Alabama, ⁷ California, Georgia, Kansas, Ohio, and Texas. ^{8 1}

URGE Policy Agenda

URGE created the Young People’s Reproductive Justice Policy Agenda to identify its priorities. The agenda identifies six left-of-center priorities, describes them, and cites legislation that would support these priorities. They include real abortion access, comprehensive sexuality education, democracy reform, economic justice, decriminalize and create safe communities, and immigrant justice. ³

Real Abortion Access supports self-managed abortion, access to abortion medication, an end to parental involvement in abortion decision-making by minors, and removal of all abortion restrictions. Sexuality Education supports a comprehensive LGBT-inclusive sexual health information and services program to all regardless of age, income, location, or immigration status. Democracy Reform supports expanding voting rights by making it easier to vote and lowering the voting age to 16. Economic Justice supports eliminating student debt, providing government-run health care through Medicare for All, and raising the federal minimum wage. Decriminalize and Create Safe Communities supports the decriminalization of sex work and dismantling the police and ending mass incarceration. Immigrant Justice supports sanctuary cities and open access to public services for all immigrants. ³

Political Actions

In October 2020, URGE co-signed an open letter released by the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights to the Senate urging the body not to confirm Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court. They claimed she would “grant President Trump nearly unchecked power to continue the devastating assault on civil and human rights in America.” ⁹

In January 2023, the executive director of URGE spoke at a press conference for the re-introduction of the Equal Access to Abortion Coverage in Health Insurance (EACH) Act into Congress ¹⁰that would require coverage for abortion through all public health insurance programs and prohibit federal, state, or local governments from restricting coverage for abortion. ¹¹

Programs

URGE offers training programs including the Reproductive Justice Leadership Institute, the week-long Gloria Steinem Membership Conference, and Our Folks: Voices of LGBTQ+ Youth of Color to train young people on left-wing abortion activism skills. ¹²

Through campus events, Instagram and TikTok updates, and live question-and-answer sessions, the yearly Abortion Positive Tour guides the public to “take action and declare their support for abortion.” ¹³

The Integrated Voter Engagement program uses door knocking, phone banking, texting, and digital organizing in Alabama, Texas, and Ohio to encourage young people to vote, citing issues such as comprehensive sex education, anti-border wall work, organizing against anti-abortion bills, and sex worker solidarity. ¹⁴

Memberships

URGE is a member of the left-leaning anti-oppression coalition Declaration for American Democracy (DFAD). DFAD is made up of over 250 left-leaning activist groups including United to Protect Democracy, Government Accountability Project, Rock the Vote, Common Cause, Progressive Democrats of America, Center for American Progress, People for the American Way and In Our Own Voice National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda. ¹⁵

Funding

URGE’s donors include the left-of-center foundations David and Lucile Packard Foundation, Ford Foundation, Brush Foundation, General Service Foundation, National Philanthropic Trust, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, as well as Ohio Voice and Planned Parenthood Federation of America, and the New Venture Fund (NVF). ^{16 2}

Brush Foundation made grants to URGE in 2020 and in 2021. ¹⁷ It is a left-leaning grantmaking organization that supports abortion providers and groups advocating for abortion. ¹⁸

General Service Foundation is a grantmaking foundation that focuses its grants on “building voice and power” for racial and gender activism. ¹⁹

Ohio Voice is the Ohio affiliate of State Voices and is focused on increasing voter engagement in underrepresented communities to “win progressive governance.” ²⁰

URGE receives donations through ActBlue ²¹ and through Endaoment, a crypto, stock, and cash giving platform for left-of-center causes. ²²

Leadership

Kimberly Inez McGuire joined URGE as executive director in 2018. ⁴ She is the board chair for the Groundswell Fund, a board member of the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS: Sex Ed for Social Change), a co-chair of Abortion on Our Own Terms, ²³ and a board member of Women’s Voices for the Earth. ²⁴

Previously McGuire was director of public affairs for pro-abortion access organization National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health and senior program director for Conway Strategic. ²⁵

Niara Stitt is the board chair. She is a staff attorney for the Legal Aid Society of Greater Cincinnati. On her LinkedIn profile, Stitt indicated her interests are in “advocacy in areas surrounding gender-based violence, and equitable access to employment for marginalized groups.” ²⁶